To feel uncomfortable with regards to Drag?

[ShawshanksRedemption]

Am I the only one who feels uncomfortable with Drag?

AIUI Drag came about because women's roles were originally played by men on the stage, and from there it's evolved to have pantomime dames, which is a caricature of women. Drag has now become an art form, a performance, with programmes like RuPaul's Drag Race showing how popular it is, but at it's core it's still a caricature, it's still a parody of women, and it's gaudy, brash and the wit and put downs waspish!

I can't help but feel a bit uncomfortable about it all, maybe it's something I'm reading too much into, but effectively it's men aping women in a very unattractive way (and I'm not just talking the make up here).

Anyone else feel the same? Or should I just embrace it and get over myself?

I suppose drag has become popular because it’s the part of gay culture that straight people can get comfortable with without too many of their boundaries being pushed. Look how tolerant I am, I watch programmes where camp gay men put on dresses. It’s the Disney version of gay culture. Got nothing remotely to do with any gay men I know, who manage to be some of the most witty and truly subversive people I’ve ever met without putting on a dress

A certain type of straight person finds it much easier to cope with the notion that a man who wants sex with other men is effeminate, like a woman, than the notion that a nan can be stereotypically masculine and gay, I think.

@Chocolatehat would you genuinely say those names are offensive to women, or just offensive/provicative? The word cunt is horrible but beyond it referring to female anatomy I'm still struggling to see that drag directly mocks women. Would a femald artist using the word 'dick' in their name be offensive to men? I certainly can't see the comparison with blackface.

Can anyone give an example of a drag artist being overtly offensive to women?

@LloydBraun of course he won't let a woman on a drag competition. It wouldn't be drag, would it?

I feel especially uncomfortable about Drag Queen storytime.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3534643-Paedophile-at-Drag-Queen-Story-Time?pg=1&order=

www.lifesitenews.com/news/drag-queen-teaches-kids-to-twerk-at-library-story-hour

I do think there is a misogynistic side to it, and to pantomime dames.

I've seen some cabaret or comedy drag acts and found them funny and found others uncomfortable. It depends on their take on it.

I've no interest in watching drag race.

@handsoffmyrights

Are you trying to link drag queens to paedophilia?

Or are you saying that a drag queen can't read to children because one of them was a paedophile?

I guess you have a problem with priests reading to children because some of them are paedophiles?

@chomalungma - are drag artists more likely to be paedophiles? No. Are paedophiles likely to take up drag as a way of accessing young children? Yes.

My question around dead story is just why??

Why is it appropriate for any adult to be in a child's space dressed in Ann Summers' finest?

We'd never let a woman do it. Or a man, actually. But make it drag and it's...what, fun? Why do children need their boundaries pushed in this way? It isn't actually ok to have half-naked sexualised adults be in a position of power over children. Drag or not.

Dead story? I'd swear I typed drag storytime!

Nope, but Orchid is spot on.

If a woman rocked up in a book shop wearing this I suspect she'd be asked to leave.

And while I'm at it, I feel equally uncomfortable about the adults cheering on 'Desmond is Amazing'

www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/clay-waters/2019/09/09/new-york-times-meet-rising-drag-stars-america-theyre-tweens

@AudacityofHope is storytime being done in lingerie? Your in your link the artist looked well dressed

Presumeably there are multiple safeguards in place for storytime for anyone who is reading, because anyone could try to use storytime to access children. Isn't storytime usually attended by parents anyway?

Oh just seen your link Audacity, that is admittedly ridiculous if it was for storytime

Mumsnet is becoming increasingly homophobic- very worrying.

Yeah that's the photo they posted. I don't know what my kids would have thought if I'd taken them to hear a story from someone dressed like that

Go to a show before judging, talk to queen. There are female drag queens and drag kings, would these offend you too?

It is not a way to devalue women as people here have stated. I grew up around queens and some of my closest friends perform.

I’ve seen performances about growing up in domestic violence and the women becoming strong, about HIV, understanding pressure on people to look as good as magazine images, eating disorders as well as lipsyncs.

It’s about embracing all kinds of beauty.

@ThatsWhereISit I actually know Cheryl, one of the kindest, talented people on the scene.
They aren’t calling women bitch or fish, they are saying that to each other.

Do you have the same issue with bio queens and drag kings?

It makes me uncomfortable too. It's womanface. Many performers parody female appearance and traits.

@MorganKitten - kindest and talented, huh? You ever asked him why the need for the offensive stage name then? Doesn't seem very kind to me.

No issue with drag kings here. Punching up ain't the same as punching down.

I suppose if you think of stereotypical femininity in the form of heels and makeup and impractical clothes and cattiness and so on to be all just harmless fun and totally unrelated to women’s oppression, drag wouldn’t be an issue for you.

But surely it’s obvious why some feminists would not love it? On the one hand you’ve got society saying “women, get over here and squeeze yourself into this box of ‘femininity’, wear this stuff and act this way or you’re not acceptably female”, and then on the other you’ve got a bunch of men effectively saying “ooooh what fun, I’ll play ‘woman’ for laughs!”

I’m not suggesting it be banned. I know it has a long history as part of gay male culture. But gay men aren’t immune from misogyny.

No strong feelings either way on it, certainly don't feel uncomfortable with it though.
Each to their own

“Womanface” 😂

Such grim views.

@LaVieilleHarpie it’s a pun on Cheryl Cole, Cole herself gave her the blessing to use it as she found it funny. I’ve never found it offensive either as it’s a pun.
Kind because I’ve seen how she supports younger members of the queer community who don’t have family support.
Yep talented, can you perform 4 hours in costume and heels, still look amazing and perform deathdrops?

Drag kings do the same thing, if you’re not offended by both I find that a bit hypocritical.
But you haven’t mentioned bio queens or bio queens. Are those offensive to you too?

Don't care if Cole herself gave her blessing - there's nothing funny about misogyny, and besides, how is it acceptable for men to even come up with stage names such as 'Cheryl Hole' and not see anything wrong with it? It's kinda obvious what sort of 'hole' this dude is referring to. Nasty, nasty mindset right there.